Introducing Kate Bracks
A note from Kerrie Phipps – I first met Kate in Dubbo after her MasterChef win and did a 58 second video with her. We’ve spoken together since at International Womens Day 2012 and every conversation I have with Kate is a joy.
Kate Bracks
Kate Bracks Is a passionate foodie who enjoys talking about food, cooking food and eating food – and feels very privileged to be able to do so. With the encouragement and support of her family, Kate auditioned for MasterChef and became the 2011 Winner, a journey Kate describes as “one of the best things I’ve ever done and one of the hardest things I’ve ever done – a steep but enjoyable learning curve”.
Kate has since traveled all over Australia (and recently India) doing cooking demo’s and public speaking and created The Sweet Life (a must-read/play with book for the sweet-tooth foodie). She has also cooked with local Hatted Chef’s in her home town of Orange, NSW. The adventure continues…
Conversation between Kerrie and Kate Bracks:
How do you love to explain what you do?
The best way to describe it is as contract work. I do lots of different bits and pieces. Some of it is in the media, in advertising, cooking locally, in food festivals, in traveling around doing cooking demonstrations and public speaking. So it’s lots of little things.
What’s next in the exciting world of Kate Bracks?
My biggest excitement at the moment – I’m looking at building a business where I cook deserts and cakes and sell them through various local outlets like shop fronts or food markets and also taking special orders. I’m really looking forward to getting back into the kitchen a bit more.
What’s a significant challenge you’ve faced & how did you approach it?
The biggest challenge was MasterChef itself – being away from the family and being put under incredible pressure to perform. The way I coped with it was to take each day as it came and break each day down into smaller pieces. In some ways life continues to be like that sometimes because of the nature of contract work, it can get very overwhelming at times because there’s a lot going on. So, I just have to take each step at a time, and take each day as it comes and gradually get through the week.
What did you learn about yourself in the process?
I learned I could actually cope with a lot more than I thought I could. I think when you are pushed outside your comfort zone and pushed beyond where you would normally push yourself, you realise you can do more than you think you can. That’s probably one of the biggest things I learned about myself.
Who are your greatest supporters?
Definitely my immediate family. My husband Luke has been an incredible support all the way through the entire journey for me. Never once has he complained or asked me not to do anything because it’s too hard for him. He just picks up where I leave off and carries on. The kids are really encouraging and supportive – they love hearing about what I’ve done. And I have some very supportive friends and family who help with child minding and praying for me and my family.
Kate Bracks collects local produce to use.
Being a foodie in Orange is fantastic – I just love my town. I love the local produce and being able to support local farmers by sourcing so many of my ingredients nearby. I recognise that it is a unique opportunity which allows me to do a lot of work from home enabling me to undertake my favourite role … being a mum.
How has the increasing success of your business impacted your personal/family life?
The biggest change has been from a full-time stay-at-home mum to a full-time working-mum. The impact on family time is the biggest challenge. I try to squish my work into school hours, with varying degrees of success. When work is very busy I just have to juggle and try not drop any of the balls!
Contact Details
Kate Bracks
Website – www.katebracks.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/KateBracks
Twitter – www.twitter.com/kate_bracks
